MAIN
Engine (external)
Previous Page | Next Page
Pilot Bob, I can testify from direct experience, those rubber bumpers weigh a ton! They can't have done the car any favors for handling or performance especially with the ride height raised an inch. My car in addition to losing the bumpers is running 1275 front springs with an unaltered rear. Haven't pushed it much yet but I imagine the front/rear height differential will be a problem. I'm also running 165/70 x 13 tires on 5.5 inch rims. The 1500 does vibrate a bit as the revs climb but a bag of nails? The roughest range is 3000 to... MORE
Well, Rob... The one I drove was a '75 with about 30K on it at the time. It ran 50psi and ran pretty smoothly right up to 4.5k...I didn't take it any higher....not my car! Most engnes have a "vibration period" or two within their rev ranges. Nothing to worry about usually...they just normally run more smoothly at some rpm's within the range than they do at others. Turbine engines are the same way. My own '74 had been lowered 1" all around (quite the street rod!) so I really felt the height difference but the handling of this... MORE
Are you sure? I replaced the front bar on my 1500 with a much thicker one which I am sure was 7/8" I cannot check now as I have long-since sold that car. I recycled the original bar off the 1500 to my 1275. It measures as a 5/8" and is thicker than the standard 1275 bar. Maybe for different markets...? Guy "Guy Weller" 24052... MORE
David, my understanding of the spacers on the steering rack are that they are there to help alignment withthe steering column. Column and rack need to be pretty accurately at 90 degrees to each other or the steering column wants to describe an arc as you turn the wheel. The rack should be fitted with loosened bolts first so that it can rotate around its own long axis in its alignment to the chassis. Then fit the steering column. Spin the steeering wheel a few times lock to lock to lign it all up and then tighten the rack,... MORE
I have owned both. The 1500 was more torquey but rattled like a bag of nails when the revs climbed. It had a 7/8" front bar that controlled excessive oversteer and could be driven through corners quite nicely so long as you didn't loose nerve and lift off. I drove with and without the bumbers and the only noticable difference was it felt more "lively" with them off. It was definately faster. The 1275 is without a doubt the nicer engine. When the revs climb it roars through the K & N and howls at over 5000 throgh the... MORE
Neil Well first off the bumpers weigh approximately 200lbs, the rear springs were recambered to bring the ride height up to 1 inch to bring it up to the correct height for the bumpers as a result of this - roll stiffness at the back end has been reduced and there is more tendency to oversteer. Couple this to the fact that the throttle on the 1500 is a lot more sensitive than before, add in the extra power of the 1500 engine, take the bumpers off making it a lot lighter, push that car hard into a corner... MORE
Capt, I was going to send this directly to you, however, as usual you don't know when to shut your hole (your choice of which hole I'm speaking of). So this is going to the lists you posted on and at least those who haven't already put you on their trash list will see the reply. Cap'n. Bob "Great....Paul goes around breaking the feet of little dumb animals....that's heartwarming news for the soul. Buy a long range squirt gun for crissake!" Paul is trying to be a good guy. As he says, he's got them 'trained' now. I use... MORE
Things at work have finally settled down from the past few months. We have gotten a second weekend off in a row, and I was able to get the mechanic from the truck shop to come over to my house this a.m. at 8:30. Some of you know, the 68 Sprite locked itself into first gear a while ago. It also had the original engine it rolled out of the factory with still in it, all smoking and original. If I am to repair the tranny, I will replace the engine, if only temporarily, to fix the original one.... MORE
The Scottish stirring stick is called a SPURTLE, not a Purtle. "People say true friends must always hold hands, but true friends don't need to hold hands because they know the other hand will always be there." Margaret South Lincolnshire UK mmbrock88@... 23996... MORE
OK, but then a Purtle is a stick for stirring porridge. (Scottish and N england in case you didn't guess) Do I suspect it has some other hidden meaning? Guy "Guy Weller" 23984... MORE
G'day all My posting on Mars has prompted Dave Gay to send me these little gems. There is at least one hear that you should memorise to astound your friends at the breadth of your knowledge. avagoodday Colin A dime has 118 ridges around the edge. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear. A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue. A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours. A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds. A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second. A shark is the only fish that... MORE
David My stance on originality is well known on this list, it's my opinion and as such I'm entitled to express it. You can shove a Chevvy V8 engine in one, you can slap spoilers on it, you can put side skirts and chop the bodywork around as much as you like - but it ceases to be a Spridget and becomes a kit-car. If you want to create a kit-car out of Midget and Sprite parts then go ahead, but please don't call it a Midget or a Sprite because it ceases to be one, it becomes a... MORE
Don There were quite a few modifications made to the Rubber Bumper (RB) Midget over and above the obvious ones, which im sure everyone will point out to you. I'm sure you're aware of the history behind these modifcations, but to recap the RB Midget came about to meet the ever more stringent emission and control regulations imposed in the relatively large North American Market. It was also felt at that time that the A Series engine had pretty much reached the end of it's useful development cycle and as Triumph were then part of the BL stable, it's... MORE
Don May... I want to thank you for bringing up the subject...I, too, learned a lot as besides the engine/xmission change, know next to nothing about 1500's (as you may have guessed by this time!:). Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 23972... MORE
You'd need to put on earlier front wings (bolt straight on) and the rear and of the rear wings are flattened off under the rear lights on a 1500 not rounded off like the earlier models. Can be done though, there is a web page somewhere with a guy who has converted his (in the US i think). You'd want to bring the ride height down too. Neil "Neil Rouse" 23960... MORE
Don, I currently own a 1500 and have done for about 8 years but only driven 1275's (in various states of tune) so I don't know how objective my observations are but here goes... For standard vs standard the 1500 certainly has more torque and IMO is perhaps easier to drive around town in traffic althought at pretty subective i guess. It also has syncro on 1st. However, although (well mine at least) is silky smooth even at unadvisably high revs the 1275 always seems to me more comfortable reving very high. not to say the 1500 won't but... MORE
Don, My '75 has the bumpers removed and I discovered the following: Rear end:Area below the tail lights is flat and obviously not meant to be visible. Front: There are two large rectangular cutouts in the wings roughly in the position of the 1275 turn signals that are there to clear a large steel support for the bumper corners. Obiously there is no chrome surround or grille worth mentioning. In addition the bumper support frame extensions must be dealt with as they stick out pas the grille opening. I have had the grille extensions sawed off back inside and... MORE
Nigel, I had asked because a rubber bumper car was selling close by for 500 dollars, but now that I have read all the feedback I will not do anything about it. Some was curiosity about the changes in the 1275 to the 1500 and now that I realize what those changes are both the drive train and body I am not tempted to buy it anymore. Thanks for the feedback, very appreciated. Don "Don May" 23971... MORE
Thanks Jim. Couldn't see them at MGOC but Moss do them for a stonking =A322. I think I 'll try a bolt of the right size, a penny washer (or several) and a nut. Cheers Jeremy. "Jeremy Cogman" 23954... MORE
Don... Basically: The 1500's had Triumph Spitfire engines and gearboxi. However, the later 1500's also had the 3.7 diff. ratio as well, rather than the 3.9 which was the highest offered with prior "A" Series powered cars. Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 23957... MORE
I admit ignorance here. What are the primary differences between the 1275 midgets and 1500 midgets aside from the rubber cancerous growths on front and back? Sort of the pro and cons I would like to know about. The mechanical changes that were good and ones that were problematic. I have never had a 1500 year midget and would like to know what I would be getting into. Don "Don May" 23956... MORE
Once you fit that straight cut gear box, you can not hear a radio anyway. A hot 1275 is music enough for me.... "Beckers" 23909... MORE
Brad, Good luck on your first road test. I just got my 75 Midget running semi-properly this summer after 4 years of effort. If it's any comfort my list of needed parts is now two spreadsheet pages; engine, tranny, radiator, compete brake and clutch rebuild, tube shock conversion, new interior etc. etc. etc. I have also discovered I need to pull the engine.... again. I used the original clutch as it looked fairly recent but failed to consider the effect of time on the springs. Car runs fine but slips in higher gears when I put my foot down... MORE
Sure, Mike... I already have the outside air intake hole fabricated and a 4" rubber tube for the mailbox I bought to be used as a "cold air box". I will "fashion" it once I have decided whether to stay with the double SU set-up or go with my 45 DCOE. Gotta do a little experimenting with various choke sizes on the Weber first, though. The box will breath engine compartment air in the winter months and cooler outside air (for better performance) in the warmer months. Best of both worlds! :) Paint your box with whatever paint/ color... MORE
Rob C. ..... I empathize....hard lesson to learn but BTDT also in my earlier days. "Remove the engine..replace the clutch". Automatic unless it's truly "new". Cap'n. Bob '60 :{) PilotRob@... 23924... MORE
